Steve McQueen’s ‘Blitz’ Trailer: Panic and Partying in London Under Siege

Saoirse Ronan in 'Blitz.' - Credit: Parisa Taghizadeh/Apple TV+
Saoirse Ronan in 'Blitz.' - Credit: Parisa Taghizadeh/Apple TV+

In the first trailer for Blitz, director Steve McQueen’s latest historical drama, Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Elliott Heffernan play a mother and nine-year-old son racing to find each other as Nazi Germany bombards London. The clip shows Heffernan as a young boy named George, seemingly finding an ally in a man in uniform played by Benjamin Clementine. The film also stars Harris Dickinson, Erin Kellyman, Stephen Graham, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller (yes, the former Jam frontman), and Leigh Gill.

McQueen wrote, directed and produced Blitz, the British filmmaker’s first feature since 2018’s Widows. In 2013, McQueen directed and produced 12 Years a Slave, which won the Academy Award for best picture and earned him a directing nomination.

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According to Variety, in a statement announcing its Oct. 9 premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, McQueen said, “Blitz is a movie about Londoners. It honors the spirit of what and how Londoners endured during the Blitz, but also explores the true representation of people in London, while at its core is the story of a working-class family desperate to be reunited during times of war.”

The film will hit select theaters on Nov. 1 before streaming on Apple TV+ on Nov. 22.

Ronan, an Irish American (who made her acting debut at around nine years old herself), has earned four Oscar nominations (three for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress) for her roles in Little Women, Ladybird, Brooklyn, and Atonement.

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